At the spring edition of the Innovation Breakfast, a panel of industry leaders explored the dynamic topic of Innovation in Healthy Foods while the audience enjoyed a morning menu featuring items from Farmer’s Fridge and Simple Mills. 

Defining “Healthy” in Today’s Food Landscape 

The discussion opened with Janet Helm, Food and Nutrition Consultant and Founder of Food at the Helm, who outlined major trends shaping the healthy foods space: 

• Consumer confusion around ultra-processed foods
  
• The influence of ideological movements like MAHA (“Make America Healthy Again”) moms
  
•  GLP-1 drugs, like Ozempic that curtail appetite, support weight loss and are creating disruption in consumer preferences and food choices
  
•  The rise of proactive nutrition and foods with added benefits
  
• A continued focus and demand for protein
  
• Growing demand for “healthy indulgence” foods
  

We are pleased to share the slides that were used during the event which can be found here.

Alan Reed, Executive Director of the Chicagoland Food and Beverage Network and panel moderator, invited the panel to define what “healthy” means. The consensus: healthy food choices are highly personal and are different for every person. 

Kara Weibeler, Senior Director of Consumer Insights at Simple Mills emphasized her company’s mission to make “natural” the norm while paying attention to both people and planet health. Emily Stucker, VP of Menu & Marketing at Farmer’s Fridge, noted their goal is to help people eat healthier -replacing even one burger meal a week with Farmers Fridge could make a difference. Jenny Yang, Owner/President of Phoenix Bean, LLC and Jenny’s Tofu shared her founding story, driven by herchildren’s health needs. 

Navigating Consumer Influences and Misinformation 

As highlighted in CFBN’s recent blog on Consumer Preferences for Healthy Foods, all panelists recognized the overwhelming role of social media in shaping consumer views. Weibeler described that consumers increasingly look to influencers for information, rather than experts, blurring the line between opinion and fact. Andrea Schwenk, Chief Marketing Officer at Egglife Foods stated that there is a lot of misinformation on the internet and on social media. This made Egglife Foods very mindful in choosing who to partner with, choosing credible voices, like registered dietitians and only sharing scientifically backed information. 

Product innovation 

From face-to-face feedback at farmer’s markets (Jenny Yang) to cutting development timelines in half to get to market quickly (Emily Stucker), the panel illustrated varied paths to innovation. Simple Mills continuously monitors trends, instead of presenting a trend report once a year as is sometimes common with big CPGs. Schwenk explained Egglife’s strategy to maintain relevance beyond trends while remaining relevant to all consumers. 

The Economic Tightrope 

While inflation and supply chain challenges shift consumer priorities, they don’t necessarily mean bad news for healthy food. Weibeler observed that economic downturns often boost interest in ‘better-for-you’ products, as people tend to pay more attention to prevention. Nevertheless, today’s changing economics and sentiment makes outcomes uncertain. Schwenk noted a growing focus on value-for-the-money when it comes to protein, hinting at the increasing importance of protein density. Helm pointed out that private label brands are evolving – with better taste, design, and appeal that competes with major CPG brands effectively. 

What’s next? 

The panel forecasted several future-forward themes: 

• Schwenk: GLP1 is here to stay, with rising interest in protein quality and fiber (rather than merely quantity) 
  
•  Helm: “Healthy Indulgence” – where consumers want both the great taste and the health benefits 
  
• Weibeler: Personalized nutrition, and sustainability as a cost of entry
  
•  Stucker: Craveable yet nutritious foods
  
• Yang: “Whole tasting” of flavors and spices, driven by adventurous GenZ 
  

Conclusion 

The conversation doesn’t end with the panel discussion since “healthy food” is a topic that continues to spark dialogue and inspire new thinking. Stay tuned for more insights and fresh perspectives at CFBN’s next Innovation Breakfast.